I'm late and could use some career advice.

I’m late to the game and would enormously appreciate some career advice.

Graduated from a liberal arts (obviously non-target) school with no IB experience, and degrees in finance (LibArt version) + language/history. Did pretty well and I was a SA for a F500 that allowed me to do some important work that they still use today. Accepted a full time offer at a Tier-2 Balance Sheet Shop for a talent development program in risk. It’s awesome exposure to how everything works, but it’s the most unfulfilling work I can imagine. Important work, but middle office risk and control is simply not my passion.

I need to create value, real measurable value. Even if that means years of ‘hell’, I don’t care I need to find a way in, because the real hell is being typecast into a role that I don’t care about and doesn’t challenge me. Again, super important work - so kudos to those who keep banks afloat by appeasing regulators and designing how banks operate.

Point being, after speaking with some HF and M&A connections I realized I’m ready to turn on the after-burners to do whatever’s necessary to break into IB (specifically M&A down the line), I just don’t necessarily know what that entails.

So here we are, a non-target alum working a middle office rotational risk job at a big ol bank. I’ve started some online financial modeling courses, and have begun laying initial networking lines. Naturally, I’ll be studying anything and everything I can find on WSO too.

I’m stuck here until at least late next summer. Do I leave after 1 year or stay the full 2 years of my program before looking towards MBA/off cycle recruitment (1st level CFA maybe)? Frankly I don’t couldn’t care less about the money until I can get some years in so I’m considering offering to act as an unpaid off cycle IB intern in my city if I were to leave (and had networked appropriately). Are there off cycle job/intern opportunities for people like me? At the end of the day I’ll grind until I make it work so don’t bother telling me what you think my chances are, BUT there have to be best practices for the chase given my circumstance which I sincerely appreciate any and all advice on.

How can I best swing this, WSO?